Album



Aug. 10, 1965 5 TULLIQ 3,199,895

ALBUM Filed Nov. 18, 1963 INVEN'IZOR. I Nlcola DeTulho AT TORNEV United States Patent 3,199,895 ALBUM Nicola De Tullio, 591 De Kalb Ave, Brooklyn, NY. Filed Nov. 18, 1953, $81. No. 324,563 1 Claim. (61. 281-29) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in books or display albums. More particularly, it is concerned with enclosed albums suitable for use for display purposes.

According to the invention a photograph album is proposed which not only protects the contents thereof from dire and dust, but which can also be stored unsupported in an upright position without distortion of the inner leaves or of the binding. While the invention is described in detail herein with reference to a photograph album, it is to be noted that it is equally applicable to any booklike article.

The critical and novel feature of this invention is the manner of construction of that section of the enclosure which covers and encloses the leaves of the album and in particular the top and bottom of said leaves and the manner in which said top and bottom of said enclosure are shaped and fitted in in order to facilitate the opening and closing of the block and at the same time form a close tight seal with the spine. The details and novel aspect of this invention are more clearly comprehended by reference to the drawings.

FIGURE 1 shows the enclosed album fully closed in an upright position.

FIGURE 2 shows the enclosed album in an upright position with its partially opened page-pile facing the observer.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarge vertical section taken on the line 22 of FIGURE 2 as the partially opened upright enclosed album would appear to an observer from directly above.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged view of the spine section taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged view of the spine section taken on the line 1-1 of FIGURE 1.

Refer now to the drawings in more detail. FIGURE 1 comprises the enclosed album in a closed upright position and consists of the front and back cover boards and 12, the spine 14, the top enclosures 16 and 16 (corresponding enclosures not shown are located at the bottom and comments relative to the top enclosures are equally applicable thereto), the side enclosures 18 and 18, and an optional latch 20. The cover and enclosures are produced from materials normally used in the manufacture of books, and the enclosures are integrally bonded to the covers along the line 22 and make an abutting contact along line 24; this abutment point may be any distance from the covers 10 and 12 but is preferably equidistant therefrom. Top enclosures 16 and 16 make an abutting contact with the spine 14 as shown in FIGURE 1 and as more clearly seen from the enlarged view FIGURE 5 with the exception of a slight opening due to the curvature cut 26 on top enclosure 16. The necessity and importance of this curvature cut will be shown hereinafter. The top and bottom enclosures 16 and 16 and the side enclosures 18 and 18' may be straight edged, bevelled, grooved, flanged, or otherwise shaped as desired to form the interlocking abutment along line 24.

FIGURE 2 shows the book in an upright position, partially opened. In this view the pages 23 are clearly evident. The pages are attached to the lining 30, either glued on or otherwise secured on, to facilitate opening. The pages are of any construction and the preferred construction for photograph albums is that having a rigid center which is enclosed on both flat surfaces with a 3,199,895 Patented Aug. 19, 1965 transparent plastic film through which the photograph can be seen. While such pages are generally used, the manner of construction employed in producing the albums of this invention enable one, if desired, to use a sheet of glass as the transparent surface on one side without interfering with the operability of the book. In previously available albums such use was practically impossible because of the risks involved in opening and closing the album and inability to satisfactorily form a hingeable structure with such sheets.

In FlGURE 3 the album is viewed from directly above to illustrate the elements, and in particular the curvature cut as, of the album. The catching means for the latch 2d is shown as 20. FIGURE 4 is an enlarged view of the area along the spine of the book showing in enlarged detail the partially opened book as one would observe it from directly above.

While enclosed books are known, a deficiency thereof has been the problems encountered in opening and closing them. In the past such books have been made with every effort to have a complete closure. This has resulted in problems encountered in closing the albums since to achieve a complete closure at top and bottom the two enclosures 16 and 16 at each end must both be of the shape shown for 16. When both top enclosures are of this shape it is not possible to close the album without twisting and distorting the binding and spine of the album; this is so because there is insufiicient room for the two top enclosures to close properly due to the sharply angled projection on both at point 32. This deficiency has now been overcome by shaping the top and bottom enclosure 1d with a curvature cut as shown at point 26. The size of this curvature cut will vary depending upon the thickness of the book and one skilled in the art will have no problem ascertaining it in light of this disclosure. This curvature cut is of a size adequate to enable closing of the album without top enclosure 16' obstructing the closing movement of top enclosure 16. If desired, both 16 and 16' can have the curvature cut; this is less desirable than having it on one side only since a larger opening at the spine results. The slight opening at the junction of the curvature cut 26 and the angled projection 32 can be readily concealed by a corded edge along the top and bottom edges of spine 14. Further, the term curvature cut is equally applied to a straight cut.

What is claimed is:

An enclosed album comprising a page pile attached to the lining and enclosed by a front cover and a back cover situated on opposite sides of a spine, side enclosures integrally mounted along the edge of said front and back covers at a point opposite the spine, top enclosures and bottom enclosures integrally mounted on the top and bottom of the edge of said covers and to the ends of the side enclosures thereof, at least one of said top and bottom enclosures having a curvature cut thereon at the ends which comes into abutting contact with the spine and said side, top and bottom enclosures on said front cover capable of coming into abutting contact with its opposite member on said back cover.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 183,003 10/76 Hill 28129 794,035 7/05 Monson 28 l29 X 2,180,997 11/ 39 Rubilino 281-29 X 2,337,654 12/43 Goodyear 229-36 X EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner.

LAWRENCE CHARLES, JEROME SCHNALL,

Examiners. 

